There must of been 6 Canal boats moored on the river at Ufton yesterday,And speaking to an angler,there`s a match on Sun.You can tell these boats have been there for some time and not just over night.If I had walked all the way from the car park to my chosen peg(right in the middle) and found a Boat in it I would`nt have been happy. Can`t we reinstate the sign by the split stateing NO MOORING ?There used to be one there untill a few years ago and it was on that tree for alot of years.I know some Hippy type is going to try and rip it down,But if he fell off his perch and landed in the river at least he would have a wash. I wonder if BWW`s could put one up by the Lock stating No Mooring past the Split or on the River,They would`nt walk all the way back down to destroy that one.Just an Idear.

Housing Minister Grant Shapps has urged local authorities not to become landlocked in their quest to meet local housing needs – but to consider how new powers restoring local control over housing provision and planning can enable people to choose boats on water alongside bricks and mortar.Mr Shapps said that more people than ever are choosing to make a boat their home and that boats with residential moorings could be an example of how unconventional housing can allow people to live in areas of the country where perhaps they couldn’t afford to do so otherwise.And as new moorings could be eligible for the New Homes Bonus, the Minister said that there was a strong incentive for councils and communities to grant planning permission for more residential moorings. The money that they receive could be invested in new marina facilities or waterside recreational activities that everyone could benefit from, as well as being used to attract further private investment and drive the regeneration of the often-Brownfield land around parts of the country’s waterways.Half the population live within five miles of one of Britain’s waterways and so not just those living on the water could benefit from the fresh injection of funding; water based recreation and tourism is thought to generate over £1billion for local economies, and supports 24,000 jobs.More residential moorings

Mr Shapps said that the Government’s commitment to Localism could be an opportunity for living on boats to be given a new lease of life, and allow people to secure a residential mooring that would allow them to live closer to their jobs, family, or children’s school.Citing the inexorable shift in power down to councils and communities, he said that where boaters, councils, navigation authorities and local communities work together, they could create more residential moorings as part of the contribution to increase the housing supply in their area and house more families:new powers in the Localism Bill restoring local control over housing, and untying the hands of communities that will allow them to find innovative ways to meet local housing need and regenerate their area;handing over control of British Waterways in England and Wales – the country’s biggest navigation authority – to the voluntary sector from April 2012, giving local communities a stronger role in determining the future of their waterways;the Government’s commitment to a new, simpler planning system better tailored to the needs of communities; andgreater transparency from councils and other public bodies on their public property ownership – including on the waterside – allowing them to identify new development opportunities.And emphasising the need to find a mooring with residential consent before choosing to live afloat, Mr Shapps said that creating more residential long-term moorings could also help reduce the numbers resorting to unlawful overstaying on the towpath.Economic benefits

Grant Shapps said: “Whilst they will never overtake bricks and mortar in putting a roof over the heads of families, innovative new ways of housing families – such as residential moorings – play an important role in allowing people to live near to their place of work, children’s school, or family, and where perhaps they would not be able to afford to otherwise.“Around 15,000 people live on our waterways and many more would like to do so. The Government’s commitment to Localism could be an opportunity for living on boats to be given a new lease of life. Where houseboats pay council tax, communities will be eligible for the New Homes Bonus, so the potential economic benefits are huge.“Landlords, councils and communities all have a clear incentive to get more mooring sites in their areas and not become landlocked in their quest to meet local housing needs."Sally Ash, head of boating at British Waterways added: “The number of people visiting and enjoying our canals and rivers has grown in recent years and this waterways renaissance has triggered strong demand from people wanting to live afloat. We welcome the Minister’s encouragement to local authorities to support the creation of purpose built residential mooring sites which we hope will help to alleviate localised congestion along the towpaths. We are also pleased to note the reassurance from Mr Shapps’ department that people can qualify for housing benefit for help with mooring fees.”

Alan, i guess the bit " he said that where boaters, councils, navigation authorities and local communities work together" means anglers will be the usual low priority, looks like the Anglers Trust and the clubs are going to have to prepare for war. If we anglers want to retain our fishing, we really need to speak with a united voice, the Anglers Trust may not be perfect but it is the best option currently available IMO

Quote Mr Shapps "Creating more residential long-term moorings could also help reduce the numbers resorting to UNLAWFUL overstaying on the towpath"I`ve got no probs with the folks that want to live on a boat,But can`t they stick to the canal and not the river.There`s a good 100yds of water from the little sluce to the cut,Why not park there? Or is that bit under BWW`s as its the Avon and they would have to pay mooring fee`s?? and if there there for to long would have to pay (God forbid) Council Tax .No dout most have car in the car park cos its packed and they need it to travel to Reading to sign on,But Sally Ash is "pleased to note from Mr Shapps department that they qualify for housing benefit" as well !! Grrrrrrrr.

Why not get the land owner to knock on their door and ask for a mooring fee? Some on the Thames ask for £20 a night,That would get um moving.Rant over.So thats no to a sign then.

On some canalised river, despite the fishing rights and land being owned by a third party British waterways own the mooring rights on the tow path side and thus we have no say!I did a few years back put some no mooring signs up and was then promptly told to take them down again (something that slipped my mind at the time! Doh).

Boats that have a 'continuous cruiser' licence are entitled to moor on a tow path for a maximum of 14 days. Although policing this is pretty much non-existent.

I'm afraid as in most cases revenue talks and the simple fact of the matter is boats provide more revenue than anglers. Yes, BW has to provide for ALL users of the canal but, commercialism rules and anglers get a pat on the head! I really do fear for the future of fishing on the canalised river.Bobrich said, ''the clubs are going to have to prepare for war. ''We are at war!! and have been for some time but, it's only when issues like this effect the individual do the majority of anglers notice but, most times it's too late by then!

Del ..........What about the sections of canalised river like beats 2 and 4 where the tow path isn't always alongside the river? At the end of last season a boat moored on 4b downsream of Rose Kiln Lane just before dark presumably for the night.............But if this becomes a regular occurance!Are we to prepare for a piling of all canalised rivers to create prefect towpaths for moor......THAT WOULD BE WAR!

Paul

I used to be a good angler in my time, or so I have been told! Does it really matter?

Alan,Del, Thanks for clearing that one up,Looks like we lost another one.What bugs me is alot of these boaters are as we say loafers and the likes of the working class are paying for them to ruin and clog up the lower Avon.Now where did I put those Maggots

Most of the boats out in the summer are retired peeps or rich peeps out for the summer and yes suprisingly they have to occasionally moor on the towpath ,many liveaboards moor in the marinas for security and convinience anyone of the above groups have payed there dues to be able to do so .What we are talking about then is the river gypsy types who often dont have a boat licence/bsc/insurance and like benifits and moor for months at a time in one spot due to little policing from BW ie ufton boats or the armada around Tescos on the Thames .They are hated by the boating comunity to and the EAs much vaunted get a licence/insurance /bsc or face our wrath has had little effect on the hardcore ones .Boating groups are well organised and have rebuilt many derilict canals motivated bunch they are getting peeps on impotant/influential commitees and the like ,my point being just look how often Will or Dell or whoever are asking for volunteers for baliffing/work partys or whatever ....anglers as a whole are a generally a very apathetic group when it comes to doing anything for there own sport .....talk of a war aint good .Boat licences recently rose 36% over 3 years and are set to go up another 30% over another 3 year period ...can you imagine the uproar if fishing licences had jumped by the same amount despite guys spending hundreds on bait and tackle .The likes of Will and Loddon lad coaching youngsters is the way the sport needs to go not turning on other river user groups ,met James Page of the TAC whilst out on the river recently and he is a good example of an angler looking after his sport and getting his organisation to build bridges with other river user groups and even .I could give hundreds of examples of anglers fishing in turning bays or off lock moorings which just adds fuel to the fire ...we need to learn to share as do boaters .Have to say that the RDAA match guys are most accommodating on our frequent trips back up the kennet on Sundays and give good direction as to which side of the canal they want us to pass on ,ie which line they are fishing .£20 for mooring on the Thames jesus where is that ?? .We pay circa £950 for our boat licence which doesnt buy us special rights but should buy us mooring rights on the TOWPATH.Boaters perspective from Steve ,dons tin hat ducks into foxhole to await incoming

Thats them,The gypsy type.The boats on the canal are all paying their due`s and have been there some years,They are quite setted in with their little gardens,flowers, bbq`s ,picket fencing,satellite tv`s and stuff. It`s the one`s on the river that just moor up for weeks on end with out a care that is the problem,Often in the best spots to fish.It`s just another thing we have to put up with I suppose,Otters,Cormarants,Pikey`s in boats,The odd rouge canoe,Doggi Doe`s,Motor bikes and the Cycle path......Have I missed anything?? Rant finished.

There are in fact NO residential moorings be it in marinas or on the tow path on the K & A canal or on the Thames (except in London) and those that live on boats in marinas or on fixed moorings do not have to pay council tax because of this. The opening up of canals/rivers to residential status along stretches and in marinas is purely a tax revenue collecting excersize that will force some "settled" boaters to pay council tax. Speaking on behalf of travelling boaters, I find some of your remarks obserd and offensive. Why tar all travelling boaters with the same brush? Perhaps we should tar all fisherfolk as being litter louts; most boaters I know are fed up with picking up discarded line and hooks, but we all know a few louts give the rest a bad name. Many "pikies" have professional jobs and support the community, and are the first to alert authorities to river pollution, and help to keep the river bank tidy by picking up litter etc., and pay their licences etc. etc. Moreover, of all the liveaboards, the travelling ones with licences, are in fact the only ones that fairly pay their way; those that are "settled" with little gardens etc on the bank and in marinas, do not pay council tax which they would have to if they lived in a mobile home park! The travelling boater simply does not want to live among lines of other boats or in marinas. It's called freedom. We live in a free society, get use to it! Live and let live! What war? Nonsence! No boaters no canals, simple! Without revenue from boater they would quickly revert to dirty ditches. Was it not boaters that instigated all the canal reclamation schemes, so that waterways would be open to BOTH fisherfolk and boaters.

I do agree most of the "pikies" should move more, especially in the summer! Those that sit in one place are just as annoying to other boaters that prefer to move around. If you have issues with any "pikies" hogging a spot, simply record any overstay and make an official complaint to British Waterways. They have to act on official complaints, fill in paper work etc. and take legal proceedings. Only a few months ago a "pikie" recieved a hefty fine for hogging a spot on the K & A! But no complaint no action.

Ultimately the proposed changes will have no effect on fisherfolk, apart perhaps beneficial from more revenue being chanelled into canal/river maintenance.

when i said "war" it was not meant with the boat people, the vast majority of whom, as you say, cause no problems. It was aimed in the direction of BW, the EA, councils etc. who seem to forget that anglers exist when they are making decisions. [ he said that where boaters, councils, navigation authorities and local communities work together](no mention of anglers or clubs) As you will know we are our own worst enemies at protecting and standing up for our fishing always assuming someone else will sort it out for us and then moaning when we are adversly affected.

Alan/Del.Whats the ruleing on Canoe`s on the river kennet ?,I was fishing L/Ben today when a canoeist ran over my lines.He said Good afternoon or words to that affect and told him to Naff off and get back on the canal where he belongs,After a few words of the land and river was private and the nav bit was over there he stuck his fingers up and said "what are you going to do about it anyway"Grr.Lucky for him there where no stones about to load me cattie.So..Was I right to have a pop,Or is there nothing we can do?? Cos I don`t want to get in trouble

Moruntess, you got a duff one there , the 3 canoeists i encountered at different times were careful slow and polite, 2 of them turned back when i pointed out it was a non navigable water the other wasn't far from the weir so less harm in him finishing his journey than going back. Each of them had slowed and asked where i was fishing unlike the muppet you encountered. Its a bit worrying that they are getting more common, guess the word is going out in canoe circles and that of course increases the likelyhood of the troublesome variety turning up. A couple of years ago a party of 15 came through.They are not allowed there but i don't know what anyone can actually do short of a 3 oz zip lead, trebles and 50lb whiplash braid, should give a good battle in the current though if you do get 1 on